Main Menu

Secondary Menu

Front Pocket Wallet

About: I'm an incurable tinkerer and builder and will often spend way too much time and money on whatever project is on the radar today.
More About micmac »

Using an Altoids lid, a couple of rubber bands and a paper clip, you can sport a cool and handy front pocket wallet.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

This should take you a few seconds. You need one Altoids lid, two rubber bands, and a paperclip. If you really want to trick out your new wallet, use thin hair elastics instead.

Step 2: Straighten the Paper Clip

Make the paper clip as straight as you can with a pair of pliers.

Step 3: Put Small Hooks in the End of the Paper Clip

Use your handy pliers to put small hooks in the ends of the paper clip. Make sure the hooks are in line with each other.

Step 4: Perform the Next Paper Clip Bend

Put two more bends in the paper clip. Each of these new segments should be about 3/4 of an inch long.

Step 5: Keep Bending That Paper Clip

Refer to the image and put two 3/16" bends in the paper clip.

Step 6: Just a Couple More Bends...

Grip the paper clip as shown and bend it back around the pliers.

Step 7: Last Bend of the Paper Clip

Put a little hook at the end of the paper clip as shown and you are done with that. The first one I attempted didn't turn out so well, but the second was great. Hey, it's only a paper clip. Don't give up.

Step 8: Install Your Paper Clip on the Altoids Lid

If you bent the clip correctly, it should fit nicely into the hinge slots on the side of the Altoids lid.

Step 9: Combine the Two Rubber Bands

Loop the two rubber bands together so there is a single knot in it. You could skip this step entirely if you use a longer rubber band, but having the little knot to grip when opening and closing the wallet is nice.

Step 10: Install the Rubber Bands on the Wallet

Put each end of the rubber band under the hook of the paper clip inside the lid where clip holds on. You may have to loosen or pinch the clip down to accomplish this, but when you are done, the rubber bands should be held in place firmly by the paper clip.

Step 11: Load Your New Wallet

An Altoids lid happens to hold standard credit cards and identification perfectly. Load it up with your cards and stretch the rubber bands over.

Step 12: Hook the Rubber Band

Stretch the rubber band around and hook it on the paper clip. If you chose short enough bands, the wallet should hold together tightly. You stuff is safe and your wallet is ready for the road.

Step 13: Don't Forget the Cash

Just fold paper money and put it under the bands. your new wallet fits comfortably in your front pocket. An added bonus is that it forces you to be a bit of a wallet minimalist. Enjoy.

Just made one, a helpful note might be what size paperclip you used.. I think my paperclip was larger than yours... and the can lid was probably different, since it wasn't actually Altoids... anyways, great start, now it's time for me to load it up!
Thanks for the great idea!

Thanks. I am proud of the design, even if almost no one else is. I built this in a pinch when my Fossil front pocket wallet broke, but I'm still carrying it months later. It earned me major cred with some geeky engineer-co-workers when they saw it. Works great and the price is right. Enjoy.